Category: African Americans

African Americans
Stefi Mar

Kwanzaa: A Cultural Legacy in Motion

What African heritage tradition functions to renew and strengthen the intertwined, cherished, and indivisible values of family, community, and culture in a rich and meaningful way?

African Americans
Stefi Mar

Race Shadows Every Assault on the Affordable Care Act

The battles over the Affordable Care Act were never only about policy or the price of insurance. They were never simply arguments about federal subsidies, individual mandates, or the markets that hold the system together. From the moment America elected a Black president and that president dared to place the health of the poor and the marginalized at the center of national law, a deeper truth rose to the surface. That truth has followed the country for centuries. It was waiting for its next target. The target became Barack Obama. The instrument became Obamacare.

African Americans
Stefi Mar

2025 in Review: Seven Questions for Black Women’s Equity Champion LaNiece Jones

Oakland native LaNiece Jones has served as Executive Director for Black Women Organized for Political Action/Training Institute for Leadership Development (BWOPA/TILE) since 1995. Like her organization, Jones is committed to supporting Black women to become authentic leaders and coalition builders who empower their communities and prepare others for economic success.

African Americans
Stefi Mar

2025 in Review: Seven Questions for Black Caucus Chair Sen. Akilah Weber Pierson

In November 2024, Dr. Akilah Weber Pierson (D-San Diego) became the first African American south of Los Angeles County to be elected to the California State Senate. She is also board-certified obstetrician/gynecologist and founder of the Pediatric & Adolescent Gynecology Division at Rady Children’s Hospital-San Diego.

African Americans
Stefi Mar

Race Shadows Every Assault on the Affordable Care Act

The battles over the Affordable Care Act were never only about policy or the price of insurance. They were never simply arguments about federal subsidies, individual mandates, or the markets that hold the system together. From the moment America elected a Black president and that president dared to place the health of the poor and the marginalized at the center of national law, a deeper truth rose to the surface. That truth has followed the country for centuries. It was waiting for its next target. The target became Barack Obama. The instrument became Obamacare.

African Americans
Stefi Mar

Congressional Black Caucus Comes Out Hard Against NCAA-Friendly Bill on College Athlete NIL Money

“It is a shame that organizations like the NCAA, who last year touted $1.4 billion in revenue — a $91 million increase from the prior year — have for so long been able to benefit from college athletes’ hard work and sacrifice while the athletes themselves are often exploited and mistreated,” a blunt Dec. 3 statement by the Congressional Black Caucus, in part, asserted. 

African Americans
Stefi Mar

Meet Roxanne Brown, The First African American And The First Woman President Of The United Steelworkers

In a significant moment for the labor movement, Roxanne Brown, set to become the first African American woman elected as President of the United Steelworkers (USW), North America’s largest industrial union, joins Make It Plain with Rev. Mark Thompson. With the official transition happening in March, Brown’s ascent is more than just a personal achievement; it represents a shift in the labor movement’s leadership reflecting the demographics of today’s workforce.

African Americans
Stefi Mar

Medi-Cal Is Changing—What Black Californians Need to Know in 2025 and Beyond

Medi-Cal is undergoing major changes. For Black Californians, these shifts bring both opportunities and challenges. As California continues to reshape its health care system through initiatives like California Advancing and Innovating Medi-Cal (CalAIM), the state is working to close long-standing racial disparities in care, especially in areas like maternal health, mental health, and preventive services.

African Americans
Stefi Mar

Black Blood, American Freedom: How the Civil Rights Movement Protected All Races

They called it Shared Chains. The episode ran on the “Blaac718” podcast, and in that dim space between sound and silence, an Asian American man spoke a truth this country has long tried to drown. “I always tell people,” he said quietly, “the day the Latino, African American, Asian, and other communities realize they share the same oppressor is the day we start winning.